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Unweighted GPA: 3.7
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Extracurriculars

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What Makes a College Selective?

So, I know that some colleges are more selective than others, but I'm a bit lost on the specifics. Can somebody tell me what factors make the top 100 most selective colleges so selective? Is it just about high SAT/ACT scores and GPA's or are there other factors at play? Thank you for guiding this stressed junior!

9 months ago

Selectivity at a college or university is essentially a measure of the competition to secure admission. Colleges often refer to this as their "Admission Rate," which is the proportion of total applicants that are admitted. For instance, a college that receives 10,000 applications but only admits 1,000 students is said to have an admission rate of 10%, making it quite selective.

Several key factors contribute to a college's selectivity:

1. Academic Performance: This includes high school GPA and standardized test scores (although keep in mind that some universities have temporarily or permanently gone test-optional). That said, many colleges have minimum GPA cutoffs—typically represented by a range.

2. Rigor of High School Courses: This is another key aspect taken into account. Colleges look at AP, IB, honors, and dual enrollment coursework to ensure students can handle college-level courses.

3. Extracurricular Activities: Universities often look for students who have excelled in one or two areas—be it sports, the arts, research, leadership roles in clubs, or community service. This is often assessed in terms of the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars, with Tier 1 being the most prestigious and Tier 4 being the most common.

4. Admissions Essays: A well-written, authentic and insightful essay can help set an applicant apart. Some colleges place significant emphasis on the essays when making their decisions.

5. Letters of Recommendation: Positive assessments from teachers or a guidance counselor can reinforce an applicant's qualifications and provide insights into their character and potential contribution to the campus community.

6. Early Decision / Early Action Applications: Applying ED or EA can increase your chances of getting into certain schools because colleges like to admit students who are likely to attend.

However, each college has its own selection process and weighs these factors differently, so these are general patterns and not firm rules. Bear in mind too, that the most selective colleges often have enough qualified applicants to fill their classes over, meaning many qualified applicants will not be offered admission. This is what leads to their low acceptance rates. In some cases, it's not about whether you're qualified, but rather about the particular qualities the admissions committee is looking for to meet institutional needs for that year.

9 months ago

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